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Serving America’s Defense, Industry, and Education Communities for Over 70 Years

The Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State is an integral part of the University and was established in 1945 at the request of the U.S. Navy. Originally focused on undersea weapons technology development, ARL now includes a broad research portfolio addressing the needs of various sponsors.

ARL supports national security, economic competitiveness, and quality of life through education, scientific discovery, technological demonstration, and successful transition to application.

As a Department of Defense (DoD) designated University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), ARL conducts essential research, development, and systems engineering in support of our nation's priorities free from conflict of interest or competition with industry.

ARL is wholly reliant on sponsored research programs for operation of the Laboratory and therefore must maintain relevance to our sponsor base, as well as an operational agility to meet ever-changing requirements.